May 14, 2012
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This “Mother’s Day”;  I wasn’t with any of our girls or our seven grandchildren!  I thought all day about my own Mother!

She was the creative behind my own creativity;  although my father, (whom I cannot remember)  was extremely creative as well!

I owe so much to my mother;  and since she died when I was 33;  I never really was able to thank her for her encouragement and support of a talent……that really barely had

a “job description”  when I started “decorating”!

So, I decided, in honor of my talented and wonderful mother , to repost this “surprise” film  I discovered this past year!  (thanks to my cousin and her contractor!)

I hope those of you who haven’t seen it will enjoy it!  Those who have seen it can push “delete!!!

 Happy Mother’s day to everyone!  I have been saying this all day to everyone;  including  males and strangers!  If one isn’t a mother;  one had one!

Now we begin the original post……..shortly after we discovered this film!!   (78 years after it was filmed!!!):

I really have thought about this post!

“Grateful”  ”Giving Thanks”!   A Hugely important thing to me!!!

This is my first year blogging…….( I am so way grateful for those  of you who are visiting)!  I love, love love it!  Thank you for participating!

So,  I decided to share the thing I  am most  thankful for in a long, long time!

Honestly;  the best “Surprise Present” I have ever received   (that was not alive!)  is this!

I was born in 1947 in Los Angeles;  My mother was 40 years old when I was born (that was a neighborhood scandal!)  I have a brother born in 1938; ( there were blood issues ;  now easily solved);  however, my mother lost 7 pregnancies after my brother;  who was born in 1939!

My Daddie died when I had just turned 4;  I heard wonderful stories about him;   I have some great photographs of him which I treasure….and are on my walls! I don’t remember him…really…except little  tiny “snippets”..I never saw him “move”; and I didn’t remember any “mannerisms” or  ”body language”.

My mother was an enormous influence…..we were incredibly  close;  I learned everything I know  from her;  and she was a total pistol;

until Parkinson’s took her down at 67  (YIKES!)  and took her life at 70.

So:  my cousin Paulette calls me to say she found a yellow “Kodak” box with my father’s name on it;  inside is a roll of film with a date stamp of “June  20 1950″

I think it might be my birthday party!   Off it toodles to be turned into a disc!    I put it into my laptop;  and this is the story!

It is a film of them right after their wedding!!

It was a “silent movie” filmed 16 years earlier;  in 1934! It is a movie (when you had to crank it up……and let it wind  out…..and  crank it up again!)

My mother was 26; my father 32; they were married in Yuma Arizona, in 1934! Right after the ceremony; this person filmed them leaving the “Justice of the Peace” office;  and off they went to some divine hotel with a cousin; filmed by someone! In 1934!

My father took it to the film store to update the film 16 years later.  He knew he was dying;  I think he did so so we could watch it when he was gone!  He died in 1951.

This is the 3 minute film.

Among all I have to be grateful for, and I am , I picked this to show you!

Having a movie of my parents right after they are married is great enough;  however, this is the first time I have ever seen my Daddie “move”!

It means more to me than I can express!

One of my friends said it so beautifully!

She said….”this shows the power of film to bring people back to us”!

Watching it, I felt they were blowing kisses at me!

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving;  and I hope you enjoy this short film!

I saw a lot of love here!  Please share your comments!

Pretty darn stylish people;  and the cutest car!  A 1934 Ford Cabriolet with a rumble seat!

An incredible gift!!!

My Mommies Wedding

May 09, 2012
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WHEW!!!   You haven’t heard from me in a while.   We had a duckling disaster!!

Six baby ducklings hatched in our duck house.  Last Spring we had nine at the end of March, four in July, and nine again in August, all of whom got as big as their mother;  and off they flew after 53 days!

This year, April 19 they hatched;  and the first night, It poured rain like I have never seen here!

The next day I could see only two ducklings;  and I was beside myself!

More rain;   and no ducklings!

I had no idea that the wood chips had become soaking wet; and the poor mother duck was trying to keep her ducklings warm;  and she couldn’t!!

This is the repaired old duck house;  and the new duck house from South Carolina!!!  Today the new one went into the pond!

More

Apr 15, 2012
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I posted the very beginning of Spring a while ago.  Some people say we have no “seasons” in Southern California!”

Yes we do!!  Spring is in full swing!!

DO WE HAVE SPRING???

YES!!!!!

We have a handsome new deer trophy!  (wrought iron)  in a proud position!

The house is fully cloaked with ivy!  (People ask me why I bothered to pick a color of the plaster!)

You can see the plaster in the winter;  all the leaves turn colors and fall off!

I found a wonderful “dovecote” from the estate of the wonderful artist, Jack Baker!  I’m hoping doves will make nests!

The arbors are covered with different roses!

This giant azalea is as old as I am!  There are pictures of me as a child next to it!  It is in a big pot!

These roses all came from the wonderful place “Rose Story Farm” in Carpinteria!  They only have old roses;  and roses that have fragrance!!

(I learned there  that you have to leave your nose smelling for a full ten seconds to get the fragrance!)

This is the stupendous  (I think!) view from the window by my husband’s desk in his office!!

“The maternity ward” has a hen with five chicks!

They are so fast!

Can you see the wisteria in the tree?

Our grandchildren’s clay art works are displayed on this table!  It’s their “Art Gallery”!

This is the “olive allee” with its focal point of an Anduze pot we bought in Provence!

and our lovely “faux bois” bench from my friend Janice who owns “Janus et Cie”!

 Our proud “trophy “!

I

at night….I learned from Tara Dillard!!  Pretty to see in the windows!!!

Another angle!

The roosters are so happy to have their tails back!

I love the damp and mossy stuff on the pots!  and the other rooster!  (I AM SO SO lucky to inherit pots !!)

Tara says to buy pots and garden accessories that people will “fight over, at your estate sale!”

A happy rooster!

We really do have Spring , Summer and fall in Santa Barbara!

The only thing we really don’t have is “Winter”!  I must admit!

I almost forgot!  Here are the “Spring slipcovers”  They go on the first day of Spring!!!

A lovely little bird took a tuft of our cat’s fur (I put it on the bushes when I brush her) and flew off to put it in her nest!

I’ll do another post  about the garden when it’s Summer!

And we have a mallard sitting on at least 8 eggs in the floating duck house!  I will show you right away when they hatch!!!

HAPPY SPRING!!!!

Apr 07, 2012
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 Here or click on the image above

Mar 30, 2012
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These pictures were taken two weeks ago, around the middle of March!

Many people think we don’t have seasons in Santa Barbara;  but I am going to show you that we do!

You can see the wisteria; which not only looks beautiful, but smells sublime!

It creeps across the front of the garage, and around the side through the “sweet olive”!

This is pretty much its prime;  no leaves yet!

The finial fell off the duck house;  I am not replacing it until the end of the summer!  The wood duck loves posing as the finial!

wood duck!

The juvenile black-crowned heron takes turns!  And there is a mallard sitting on eggs in one of the nest boxes!

This heron won’t hurt the baby  ducklings;  but we chase the Great Blue Heron out of here when there are baby ducklings!

Our Boston ivy comes in red in the beginning;  red leaves are not appealing to birds.  The rooster is happy to have his tail feathers coming back!!

From the other side!

The real roosters didn’t lose their tail feathers!

This shows a glimpse of our mesquite front gate.

This shows the mesquite railing that goes across a small stream from the pond ! It is interwoven with willow; so it is a living railing! The willow loses its leaves in the winter.

Hardenbergia  vine blooms in the winter (the purple one) and the white potato vine (a type of jasmine) blooms 12 months a year!

Chickens busy at bug finding and eating!

The crabapple fence just starting to leaf out in the herb garden!

These steps are petrified wood!

I love the rock edging on the herb garden; and the lavender planted in gravel.

This is our “Certified Backyard Habitat ” sign!  My granddaughter was in the first grade when we went online; filled out the application,  and sent it in with photographs.

It says  ”This property provides the four basic habitat elements needed for wildlife to thrive:  food, water, cover, and places to raise young.

It has been certified by the National Wildlife Federation as an official Backyard Wildlife Habitat Site.”

We are very proud of that!!

Our gardener planted these native iris two years ago as a surprise;  he didn’t think they “took”;  but look at them now!!!!

When the gardeners on our lane “blow” (mercifully only once a week) , they leave the pile of oak leaves for us!!  My favorite path material!

more iris!

More hardengerbia and potato vine and chickens!

In a week or so; I will post what it looks like further along in Spring!

Mar 26, 2012
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In 1961, my very talented mother was in Paris on a trip.  She had admired an artist throughout the 40′s and 50′s.  His name was Marcel Vertes;  and he was an Hungarian who lived in Paris until the war;  and then he lived in New York.  He was working in all kinds of mediums.  My mother was in advertising;  I think that was when she first started following him.  He did all the advertisements for Elsa Schiaparelli ;  her “Shocking” perfume;  even designing the bottle!

He also won an Academy award for set design for “Moulin Rouge.

She timed her trip to coincide with a show of his oil paintings at the Katia Granoff gallery.

In researching for this blog post;  look what I discovered!!! A blog post about Marcel Vertes with my bedroom in it!  I had never seen it!

Feeling Pink with Marcel Vertes

Hungarian painter, printmaker and illustrator Marcel Vertes (1895-1961) was full of whimsy, as evidenced in the gorgeous series of ads he concocted for Elsa Schiaparelli’s 1937 scent Shocking Pink.

Vertes and Schiaparelli not only worked on this campaign together, they also collaborated on the 1952 film Moulin Rouge, about artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec.

Another ad for Schiaparelli’s Shocking Pink.

Here is an original bottle of the perfume. The curvy torso was inspired by Schiaparelli’s client, Mae West.

Vertes hits the bottle of pink paint again for this portrait of Coco Chanel.

For this buff pink room in designer Penelope Bianchi’s Santa Barbara home, she hung Vertes’ work from floor to ceiling. Photo from House Beautiful. Gorgeous.

POSTED BY BUNNATINE DREAMS 

This was the beginning of a lifelong collection of the work of one artist by my mother, my brother, and by me!

“Columbine en Vacances”

This is a beautiful one that was above our living room mantle while I was growing up!

s

We had a fire in 1982, and one of my mother’s Vertes oils was lost.  I bought this one from  my dear Tony Duquette and Hutton Wilkinson;  and after I had purchased it, they told me it had belonged to Elsie de Wolfe.  My mother gave me her book, The House in Good Taste; which had inspired me to become a decorator!!

Mar 09, 2012
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The beautiful Napa Valley was where my husband Adam and I spent our birthdays and our anniversary this past week!

We stayed at a friend’s guest house right near the beautiful Auberge de Soleil  Hotel;  and even in the off-season; the weather was gorgeous!!!

The first place I want to share is one of the most beautiful, magical restaurant  I have ever seen!  In fact, the minute we saw it ,

we decided to have lunch and dinner there the first full day we were there!

At first we saw this beautiful stone building!

More

Feb 13, 2012
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Oh my goodness!!  Imagine my surprise when our agent sent me this!

This is an annual list released once a year!  These houses are selected each February and are

publicized all year!

No one can apply for, nor purchase this advertising!

I feel extremely honored;  and I am with some very spectacular company!!

I have had calls from friends from all over who saw it in their newspapers, and even on AOL!

 This is sure  fun for me!!!  And I consider it a big compliment!!

More

Feb 03, 2012
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 Thanking blogdom!!!!!!

I started a blog last April (I think);  and was encouraged by my dear friend Brooke Giannetti of Velvet and Linen.

I will learn how to make those links……(actually Velvet  and Linen is in my sidebar and you can click on it!)

My nine year old grandson asked me what a blog was!  I really couldn’t answer him.  (see previous post comments……

they are wonderful and so informative.)

Well, anyway, I have been a decorator for 41 years (sorry, there are new people who don’t know!)  and the thought of a blog had not

crossed my mind………until….way after ……..I discovered the internet!

First thing I did on the internet..(newyorksocialdiary.com).

No one called it a blog….I just knew I liked him;  his point of view…..(I also love all the party dresses!!)

(David Patrick Columbia….now a dear friend)

These two things happened at the same time…..the other one was “Pale Male”  the blog about the very first red-tail hawks

to nest in Central Park in 50 years, or more!  (www.palemale.com)

the author of that one is a photographer for National Geographic.

I read about the hawk’s nest 22 years ago in the Wall Street Journal and sent our daughter (who lived there and was a teacher)   on a mission to see this nest!  She saw it!

(don’t forget, I am a decorator, not a techie)

So, along I go, discovering fabulous blogs along the way!  ”An Aethete’s Lament”!!??!!   (I have not recovered!!  the best of the best!  Lordy!  Grad school in decorating right there!

“Home before dark”  are you kidding……….you cannot get that education anywhere…….nowhere at all.  I am serious.   There are so many wonderful blogs!

So I became a blog addict.  Then……with Brooke (who when she met me could tell that my favorite thing is to tell stories…..encouraged me to start a blog! Of my own!)

So I did.  I thought 3 people might subscribe.  5? maybe.

Sheesh!  I am so way too wordy…….the point is this.  I did start a blog.  Once a week at most is all I could muster;  but the fact is;  it is one of my favorite things in my whole life!  I am a storyteller!  I love telling stories more than anything in this world!  So here is the audience who have not heard my stories….

and if they don’t like them; one click away!  POOF!

Here is the point of this.  I received this in my email. This is the reason for this post. This is why I know I am doing the right thing.

This is a new blogger’s dream come true.

I received this from someone far, far away.  It made me cry very happy tears….and I asked permission to publish it  She said yes..  So:  here it is!

This is an example of what makes this whole effort so way worthwhile:  THIS:

“Dear Mrs. Bianchi,
my name is Bettina Baldassari, I’m writing you from Italy, where I live with my 5 cats and 5 birds, I found in years.
I just were looking around he web, and I came into your site.
So, let me tell you: that the pictures of your house

in S. Barbara are simply BEAUTIFUL, and more, the philosophy that I guess is beyond, that must be your life-style, is what I feel to be

nearest to mine.
So I can’t help to write and say THANK YOU, for your art, and for sharing your inspirations on your blog, that now is among my favorites.
Last year I’ve written and illustrated a book dedicated to the old school book I remember of my childhood, and to the places where I live, that’s the countryside near Ravenna.
Let me send you the link of the book trailer that we made (which I compose and realized the music for too), is just a small thing, but is precious to me, and I’m happy to share it with you.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-tZV8Edi8o
So, thank you again, and again.
I send you also a picture of my friends…
And since we still are in Christmas time, my best wishes for you and your family.

Bettina Baldassari
Conselice (Ra)

p.s.: Is there a book to order somewhere to know your work better, I mean something like a catalogue?
I would be grateful if you let me know.”

That is what she wrote to me.

Guess what?  As a decorator, animal lover, and new blogger……..it doesn’t get any better!  What a lovely letter and what a lovely thing that I touched a life in my favorite place in Italy……it doesn’t even matter where it is!  Somewhere in the world I touched a heart, a visual person, a life.

This made my dreams come true!!  Isn’t it astonishing????

Of all the wonderful things about blogging…..nothing means more than the comments.

thank you all so much for your comments……..they mean more than I can ever express!

 And then she sent me this picture!!!  Of 3 of her cats!

Jan 31, 2012
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Grandparent’s Day at Crane School Sunday with Poppy (Penelope) 13;  and Tommy , 9, and Adam my husband!

It was 80 degrees, if you can believe it!!

I cannot tell you how much fun it is to post a blog every week or so!  There is always something I am excited about!!  and that has not changed!

What has changed is that there is a member of my family who has developed some medical problems.

I am on call to help with my grandchildrenI can’t even think straight…..let alone…..do my blog!

I know you will all understand.

Also, my assistant who helps with the photos on my blog  is having a wonderful time “en vacances”  in Kauai surfing!

I will be back……I have four or five (I hope interesting posts)  I am just unable to do any at the moment!

Thank you for being my friends……..and I do consider you all my friends…

I have some really exciting things coming up here………(go Brooke! Velvet and Linen!)

 We are going to a book signing with my best friends in Palm Beach Florida and Lars and Nadine Bolander.

 You may remember the book signing at our house  for Lars’ book is where Brooke  and Steve and I met!

Lars’ book is  ”Lars Bolanders Scandinavian Design”;

and Brooke and Steve will be signing  their beautiful book “Patina Style”  at the Bolander’s  wonderful store in West Palm Beach!!

They are online and have the most unusual and wonderful things

I have ever seen in one store!  EVER!!!  They have another store in New York in the Design Center.

The name of their store is,   Lars Bolander!

It will be such fun to show Brooke and Steve around Palm Beach!  They have never been!

I am just out of commission for a while.  I think next week I can pick up again!

My favorite was  when I was fretting….with my nine year old grandson……

“ohhhh I can’t do my blog!!”  Tommy said ;  (he is nine)  ”Grannny, what’s a  blog?”

Do I know?  No!

I told him:  ”You know how I love to tell stories?”  He said, “yes, and I love all your stories!”

(he gets something big in my will for that one!)

I said, “that is what my blog is;  telling my stories!”

I think that is sooo funny!

Please help me…….and thank you for your patience.  I will  post some pictures.  So…what the heck is a “blog”???

I hope you miss me;  and I hope you will welcome me back!  I miss you!

Penelope

Jan 01, 2012
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I was minding my own business, (yes working!)  looking for furniture for clients in my favorite antique store in our area;  and this bird;  this happy little bird caught my eye!

What a delightful, fey,whimsical, little bird!  I was captivated!

And look!!!

Shelves all over the store filled with them!

plates,bowls. platters of all sizes, cups, saucers,  espresso tiny cups and saucers!  Oh my heart!!!

There had to be story about all this;  I could see subtle differences in the  glaze color, in the application of the trims;  and even slight differences in the bird!

I asked the owners, (twins who know everyone and everything about Santa Barbara County for the last 100 years!)

“Oh yes, Mrs. Flood collected this pattern for 50 years or more!”

Oh happy day! More

Dec 28, 2011
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We are so lucky!  Two of our seven grandchildren live less than a mile from our house here in Santa Barbara!

Three more lived here for 3 years;  but for 8 years they have been living in Switzerland;  and are moving back here next summer!

For a multitude of reasons, Christmas has been “childless” for 8 years;  and this year we had grandchildren!!  Their “presence”  was our “present”!

Here are our daughter Ella; and her children Poppy (Penelope) 13, and Tommy 9.

More

Dec 19, 2011
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This is my Christmas Post!!!

It is someone else’s Christmas Post!  ”Splenderosa”!

It feels OK to me to be using it;   not plagiarism if I give credit where credit is due!

I hope so!

It is so perfect, and splendid, I had to share it with all of you!

Have a wonderful holiday season , everyone!

Happy Holidays!!!!

Who gets to have 10 dogs!?  And  who gets them all to stay still in costume?

There is also one horse…..and behind the upper center dog…are those ears of a donkey???  Now that is where I will go if I get heaven!!!

(front center of this picture!  In my halo and wings!)

A magician is who can do this!

And check out her lovely affordable jewelry!

Penelope

ps  (no sponsors;  no advertising!  all 24 of you are just getting my favorite stories and favorite things!)

here’s where I found it!

http://splenderosa.blogspot.com/

Dec 12, 2011
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Well……when the ducklings flew………(the last nine of the three groups..)  I missed them!

 I was so happy they all lived…..but I must say…..just picture a pond with a Mom and Dad duck and 9 ducklings….

….and then……one day…..none.  I didn’t cry.  But I felt like it!

they flew on a Thursday….and the parents flew with them!

I was elated that they all survived the “sitting duck” stage….however;  I did miss them terribly.

Saturday of that week my friend who lives very nearby

(less than a mile) on a golf course, called me to ask for my advice on the “trim color” on her house!

(My advice is always available;  and I always have an opinion!)

(my adorable brother says……….”if you ask my sister her opinion…and she doesn’t have one…….rush her to the hospital immediately!!!

 Something is terribly wrong!!!”)

I got to the house……..(it is on a pond)  and I see a bunch of ducks on the far side of the pond , on  the golf course……(so much lawn!)

and my back is to the pond and I am talking and pointing to the trim….giving my opinion!

We turn around……there are two ducks steaming across the pond……and they get out….walk through the garden…….walk up to us within a foot  of us and look right up at me!

(can you picture it?  Ducks have these long necks…..and they are making eye-contact!  I swear!!)

My friend says……..”"EEK!  This has never happened!!”  (She was not thrilled they were on her lawn!)

I said…..”Oh, so sorry, CeCe!  These are “My ducks”  they recognized my voice!

I think it is the biggest compliment I have had in my entire life!!  Honestly!

 and here they are BACK!!!  There are 6 pair in our pond every day!

I didn’t get a photo of all 12;  but they are there!!!

There are twelve every morning!  And when they hear my voice…..or my feet on the gravel they steam right up to me!

Life is wonderful!!!

My favorite stories of our lives are things like this!

Thank you for reminding me!  It is truly a wonderful and happy story!

More

Dec 02, 2011
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I really have thought about this post!

 ”Grateful”  ”Giving Thanks”!   A Hugely important thing to me!!!

This is my first year blogging…….( I am so way grateful for those  of you who are visiting)!  I love, love love it!  Thank you for participating!

So,  I decided to share the thing I  am most  thankful for in a long, long time!

Honestly;  the best “Surprise Present” I have ever received   (that was not alive!)  is this!

I was born in 1947 in Los Angeles;  My mother was 40 years old when I was born (that was a neighborhood scandal!)  I have a brother born in 1938; ( there were blood issues ;  now easily solved);  however, my mother lost 7 pregnancies after my brother;  who was born in 1939!

My Daddie died when I had just turned 4;  I heard wonderful stories about him;   I have some great photographs of him which I treasure….and are on my walls! I don’t remember him…really…except little  tiny “snippets”..I never saw him “move”; and I didn’t remember any “mannerisms” or  ”body language”.

My mother was an enormous influence…..we were incredibly  close;  I learned everything I know  from her;  and she was a total pistol;

until Parkinson’s took her down at 67  (YIKES!)  and took her life at 70.

So:  my cousin Paulette calls me to say she found a yellow “Kodak” box with my father’s name on it;  inside is a roll of film with a date stamp of “June  20 1950″

I think it might be my birthday party!   Off it toodles to be turned into a disc!    I put it into my laptop;  and this is the story!

It is a film of them right after their wedding!!

It was a “silent movie” filmed 16 years earlier;  in 1934! It is a movie (when you had to crank it up……and let it wind  out…..and  crank it up again!)

My mother was 26; my father 32; they were married in Yuma Arizona, in 1934! Right after the ceremony; this person filmed them leaving the “Justice of the Peace” office;  and off they went to some divine hotel with a cousin; filmed by someone! In 1934!

My father took it to the film store to update the film 16 years later.  He knew he was dying;  I think he did so so we could watch it when he was gone!  He died in 1951.

This is the 3 minute film.

Among all I have to be grateful for, and I am , I picked this to show you!

Having a movie of my parents right after they are married is great enough;  however, this is the first time I have ever seen my Daddie “move”!

It means more to me than I can express!

One of my friends said it so beautifully!

She said….”this shows the power of film to bring people back to us”!

Watching it, I felt they were blowing kisses at me!

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving;  and I hope you enjoy this short film!

I saw a lot of love here!  Please share your comments!

Pretty darn stylish people;  and the cutest car!  A 1934 Ford Cabriolet with a rumble seat!

An incredible gift!!!

My Mommies Wedding

Nov 28, 2011
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Radisha, a dear friend and artist extraordinaire, has been doing a drawing or painting a day; and generously sharing them each day in my email!  They are such a beautiful collection;  I decided to share them with you!

Being an interior decorator is a humbling experience in many ways!  Probably the most humbling is how we rely on our “team” of workrooms, upholsterers, painters, carpenters, and artists!  (They are all artists, really!)

Radisha is an “artist” artist;  who has been with me for twenty-something years!  He can honestly do anything!  (you can see my first post on him  below in “You might also like”.)

This is a water-color so ethereal and beautiful!

This is another beautiful  pencil and water color !  The love in their faces! More

Nov 28, 2011
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I know I am late!

I’m working on two things for Thanksgiving; neither are right!  Yet!

But I received a picture of 4 generations of her family  from my “best friend” since the 6th grade!  Her parents have been married for 70 years!  They are both in their mid-nineties!

(we were “not asked back” to school together!)  We are 64 years old!  She has her parents?!?  Yikes!

Her parents  just had a Thanksgiving dinner with 4 generations!

Her mother asked her “who are all these people?”  My friend said, “they are all your family!”

There is a life-size portrait of her (drop dead gorgeous mother that I wondered about when twelve) in the dining room!

Her mother saw it; and said.”Why did I have that done?”

My friend says,  ”Life is a hoot!”

And she also said, “No matter how senile, or complicated the members of my family are;  they are MY family!”

And THAT is my Thanksgiving thought!!

Family is just about everything!

Nov 20, 2011
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Porch!  A lovely store in Carpinteria had a   ” Winter Fest”!!

 The co-owners Christy and Diana are talented and energetic; and their store is truly special!!!

They describe their wares as “Shelter and Nature”.  They have all kinds of things for bringing the outside in, and bringing the inside out!  And these women  (who own it and work there) really know how to “style” a showroom and garden!

Here is a little sample!  A tiny olive tree in a pot;  a hand-carved bowl, pomegranates, and portable wine glasses for wine tastings!

Of course, in the advertising for the event;  my dear friend’s book “Patina Style”;  was front and center!!  It is such a beautiful  book!  Even before you open it up!

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Nov 07, 2011
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My brother and sister-in-laws new kitchen!!!    Before and after!

Via the internet from California to Connecticut!  Utilizing , my favorite tool, our iPhones!!!

My brother and sister in law bought their house 15 years ago; and wanted to add on a family room with a garage under it off the kitchen. They did that;  and they thought they needed to remodel the kitchen.

Having been paid for so many years for my advice;  I just assume everyone wants it! (guess what?  not everyone does!) Well, I suggested all they needed to do was to paint the cabinets; the walls  and the floor! My sister-in-law didn’t think that would do it; so they did the family room and other things in the house waiting to redo the whole kitchen.

Then the children grew up and flew the coop and they decided to sell the house!

The kitchen looked tired;  had a yucky tile floor; and kind of insipid pinkish color stained wood cabinets. It did not “show” well!

I suggested again that “Paint magic” was all it needed!  The cabinets looked “stuck on” the yellow walls; and weren’t tall enough to reach the ceiling; but they had attractive lines and the plan was practical!

Borrowing from my friend Brooke Giannetti’s weekend house makeover;  on her blog  ”Velvet and Linen”;  (the most dramatic I have ever seen!) I suggested the color “Hardwick White” from Farrow and Ball for the walls and the cabinets. Then, the cabinets would not look “stuck on” and the color (which is not white);  looks really good with Stainless Steel appliances!

“Oh too dark! Cried my poor sister-in-law”.  Relentlessly, I nagged and needled;   and  explained  and nagged some more and sent more pictures of Brooke’s kitchen,;  and she reluctantly went  ahead!!

She was scared to death!  (This poor woman;  in her last house she  took our daughters water-skiing and when they came back; I had rehung every painting and picture in their house!) You either want, or don’t want, a decorator in the family!  I think they liked them there!  (Or every time I visited they moved them back!)

Here we go!!!  ”Paint Magic”!  My sister in law did all the labor;   and we used our iPhones to send pictures back and forth!!!

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Nov 03, 2011
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The Fall San Francisco Antique Show! What Fun!

It is in the lovely location of historic Fort Mason on the bay looking across at the Peninsula and Alcatraz Island!

It is in this big building which is like a warehouse;but great effort is made to  make the interiors dramatic and feel unlike a warehouse!

My husband  Adam Bianchi was getting our tickets at the entrance

This gorgeous table was part of a trompe l’oeil   exhibit!  There is a reflection on the glass; but it is so exquisite!

Some really interesting shoes!!! I’m finding those leopard with the red heels if it kills me!

an interesting statue! 

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Oct 30, 2011
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One of my very favorite blogs is “Hooked on Houses”!  She has a huge following and is always interesting!

She did a whole post on our house;  and combined some photographs from a House Beautiful article with others, and I was thrilled with the results!  Her taste and sensibility are excellent; and combined with  her understanding of architecture and comfort make her blog wonderful reading and educational as well!

There are so many great parts of her blog!  Prepared to get “Hooked on”Hooked on Houses”!!!!

If you’d like read the article and see more pictures, go to Hooked on House’s website.

Some of the funniest things are the “bad MLS Listings”   There are so many great things on this website!  I was very honored that she did a post on our house!

(By the way, the price has been reduced!)

Oct 20, 2011
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Leta Austin Foster is a sensational decorator and has one of my very favorite shops in Palm Beach Florida.

In her blog, she shares all her amazing sources in Europe and other places!

This article has fabulous sources in Paris!

I also want to thank her for mentioning me in this post!

You can read the article here and know right where to go in Paris!  It would take YEARS to discover all of these wonderful  and unusual spots!

Oct 17, 2011
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Oct 04, 2011
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Well, I have a new addiction that involves the internet.

 Oh dear!  ”Pinterest”!!!  It is a genius idea!  One can see a sublime picture on a post or blog or magazine, or whatever, and you can “pin it” just like that!  And that is saved on your “inboard with its information of where it came from!  And people can follow you if they like the same things you do!

I haven’t figured out how to put the photo information on my blog , but I will!  You can go to my “Pinterest page”   and find it there;  but my next “Favorites”, I will be posting the credit!

 I try to do the right thing by the photographers and bloggers who provide such delectable images!  I just have to learn!

I will begin!!!I hope you enjoy my picks!

Above is one of the most beautiful canopy beds I have seen!  There is so much attention to detail !

The fabric  on the canopy is embroidered “Chelsea Editions” and it is on a hard valance with wonderful trim!

And the lining is divine as well!

The coverlet folded at the bottom is also Chelsea; and with the antique tapestry pillow….just heaven!

The bedroom itself  is lovely;  note the faux painted paneling on the fireplace wall.  Very subtle and pretty.

Also note the slightly “tattered” rugs on the neutral carpeting.  I love old worn rugs.  (Even on their “last legs”!)

 Patina!

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Sep 24, 2011
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My longtime friends from Pasadena have developed a charming spot on Orcas Island in the San Juan Islands in Washington state.  They have been going there for 22 years!  It is a dream of a family compound!

This summer I went to Orcas Island to visit my granddaughter at her camp and visited the Coffey’s “compound” close by! This red house is one of five! This one is called “Missel Thrush” after  a quotation in “The Secret Garden”; a book my friend Marty has loved her entire life.

Orcas Island has very strict rules about development;  which has resulted in an unspoiled natural environment!

There were five little “shacks” on the property when my friends purchased it;  and they were allowed to only build on the “footprints” of those “shacks”.  They are reminiscent of a Swedish village with the feeling of the Swedish artist and interior decorator  Carl Larsson.

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Sep 19, 2011
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On Mother’s Day in 1997; we purchased this vacant lot.  It is a little over two acres;  however it seems like more because it is in the middle of 90!

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Aug 27, 2011
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Aug 19, 2011
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Originally, when we built our house;  I only had one of the pair of the Madam DuBarry Sphinx. (See my blog post The Garden Sphinx) I found these delightful cast stone reproductions at Quatrain (an antique store in West Hollywood).  Here is their description: “LOUIS XIII STYLE CAST STONE HOUNDS . The original early Baroque examples are from the famed walls surrounding the Chateau de Raray near the ancient town of Senlis, France. On either side of the Chateau stand two long walls of stone upon which hunt two packs of hounds; one bringing a stag to bay, the other a wild boar. Certainly a reflection of the many centuries of hunts that have taken place thanks to the immense royal forests of Chantilly, Halatte and, to the North, Compiegne.”

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Aug 08, 2011
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Thank  you so much to those who have posted three wonderful posts about us recently.  We are over the moon!
You can view Tara Dillard’s blog called Landscape Design Decorating about us, and this earlier post here!

Brooke and Steve at the fabulous blog, Velvet and Linen. You can view the articles she did on us  here and here!

And last but not least, thank you to Callie Grayson for her feature called “Beautiful, comfortable patina.”

P.s: I love getting your comments! If you want to; please post them on my blog rather than email! Click on “comments”!

Aug 04, 2011
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Three weeks ago,  a hen of ours went missing!  I was afraid a coyote or hawk had taken her;  but I couldn’t  find feathers anywhere!

About  ten days later, I found her outside the coop in the morning, and I knew she must have made a nest outside of the coop!

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